Convenience pays and technology delivers.
The Mom and Pop that Won Me Over
On my way home yesterday, I needed something to pick me up. It had been a long week and the long commute was wearing me down. Rather than be a danger to my fellow commuters, I pulled over at a small farm stand that also advertised homemade ice cream.
I don’t usually carry cash so I had to take this into consideration. It so happened I had a couple bucks on me. I reasoned I could buy a sugary treat for the remaining ride. To my surprise, this little stand, which had no apparent wires of any form (phone, electric or cable), advertised:
“Cash, Credit or Check accepted”
When it cam time to pay, I pulled out my credit card. The young lady at the counter pulled out her iPad with a Square device attached. Square is a simple credit card processing service that takes 2.75% of each charge and works on many devices. “Cool” I thought to myself…
So why does this matter to other “mom and pop” shops?
How Technology Helps Mom and Pop Steal Customers
Consider this: one of my favorite stops on Saturdays is the local farmer’s market. I love the truly farm-fresh produce and unique, home made treats. However, because I rarely carry cash, I am often limited in what I can purchase or I must make an extra stop to pick up cash. To date, I’ve not seen any stands at that farmer’s market with options for accepting credit cards.
From now on, I may always make my farm-fresh purchases from that little stand on the roadside instead of the farmer’s market. The mom and pop shop that has the technology, gets my business. Convenience pays and technology delivers.
More Technology Examples
This same issue can be extended to many forms of technology. Got a web presence? If not, your mom and pop competitor that I can order from online will take my business away from you. Gone social? If not, the mom and pop competitor that appears frequently on my Facebook or Twitter feed will take my business away from you.
For a long time, the Mom and Pop shop reasoned they didn’t need technology. That argument can no longer be made.
Question: What other technologies are critical to mom and pop shops now?
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